


The Room

by Arel_Rhink



Category: Rhett & Link, rhink - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 13:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16744756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arel_Rhink/pseuds/Arel_Rhink
Summary: Rhett experiences a new type of therapy to cope with his best friend's death.





	The Room

**Author's Note:**

> Yes I know I'm supposed to be working on my fic project thingy, but I had this dream and had to share it with y'all. Maybe I'll write something silly to compensate for this fic.

Rhett had heard about it for months. It was the newest thing – the highest course of entertainment, and the most effective piece of technology in the field of mental health. His friends had told him about it time and time again… especially after the accident. Eventually, he had enough hearing about it and finally gave in.

The Room they called it. A wonder of science and illusion alike. One would walk inside and see everything they could ever need and want. Some reported seeing a lush room filled with beautiful art, and some saw their ideal mate and had their dream conversations and experiences. Some also saw their passed loved ones… parents, spouses, even pets. Those people ended up getting the closure they needed. Rhett’s friends believed The Room would be the best thing for him. After a while, he started believing they were right.

He made his appointment for that Sunday. The first of June. Link would’ve been forty-seven today had it not been for the accident. That same accident that haunted Rhett’s mind for months. He needed this more than anything. There were so many things he needed to say. So many things he wished he could’ve done. He needed to see his face and hear his voice. Now was his chance, but his trembling legs shackled him before the door.

The assistant stood patiently, adjusting her silver-rimmed glasses on her freckled nose. Her calm brown eyes stayed affixed to the giant of a man. “It’s okay,” she assured softly. “You won’t be alone in there… Not really.” It was then Rhett’s big, glistening eyes finally returned her gaze. She guided him through a nice deep breath, and he held it until he nodded at her, which knocked his headgear askew. She quickly readjusted it, making sure the pads stayed fixed to his temples. “It can be a lot to take in at first,” she advised. “Many people don’t know what to focus on first, so it might be best to go in with your eyes closed.”

Rhett took another deep breath. “Okay.” With that, he gently let his eyelids fall to a rest.  The assistant flashed a hopeful smile, regardless of the fact that she couldn’t be seen. Rhett heard the door open with a slight creak. Once again, he felt his feet adhere themselves to the tiled floor, and it took every ounce of strength in him to take just that first step. The weights trickled away with every inch closer into the open room. He kept his eyes closed, half in fear of what he might see inside that room.

The door gently shut behind him and he stood remarkably still. His hands were the only exception, trembling lightly at his sides. Moisture beaded in his eyes as they tightened in their close.

“It’s about time you came to see me.”

Rhett opened his eyes at the warm sound of that familiar voice. Purple spots faded out of his blurry vision until everything became clear. His confused eyes searched around the empty white room. His breath was held without his control as worry clouded his mind. It wasn’t until a silhouette stepped into his view when he finally released it.

“Link…?” Rhett gasped as the silhouette morphed into his dear beloved friend. He reached out to embrace him, but his arms slipped right through him. His heart sank on the spot.

“I know… it’s okay,” Link spoke. “We’re only here to talk anyway, right?”

Rhett’s eyes scanned the being before him. He reminded himself that this was all an illusion, a figment of his imagination.

 “Stop that, Rhett.” Rhett snapped back into the reality his eyes showed him. “If you don’t see me as real, then I’m as real as a mermaid with shoes on.”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, man.” He wiped the tears from his eyes. Link was just as beautiful as he had always remembered him. He had known him so long there was no detail out of place. The more he looked at him, the more he convinced himself that it was all real. “I miss you so much.”

“I know,” Link sighed. “I miss you too.”

“I feel like it’s all my fault…” Rhett cried. Link came closer to comfort him, but was careful not to get too close.

“No, Rhett… It’s not your fault – I’m the one who can’t control myself on the road!”

“No, if I didn’t talk you into going camping we never would have gotten into the accident in the first place! I can never forgive myself for doing that to you, especially bec –”

“– Rhett!” Link interrupted, reaching out to Rhett’s hands, but clutching them with a sigh before he nearly broke the illusion again. “Trust me. What happened to me was all on me. We both knew it was gonna happen at some point.”

“We were supposed to go out together… We’ve been dependent on each other for so long, we both knew we couldn’t keep going without the other…” Rhett tried to hold Link’s hands this time, but he had to stop himself. “I wanted us to be even closer than just together, don’t you get it?”

Link blinked rapidly before gaping straight into Rhett’s eyes. “What… What do you mean?”

Rhett bit his lip. “The camping trip…” He clenched his fists by his sides, trying his best to control his actions and his emotions. He knew it would’ve been hard for him to say this even to the real Link, but he was having trouble with this version of him as well. He sighed deeply and unclenched his fists. It helped him to look down at the white tiles between the two of them. “I pressured you into going because… because… I wanted to finally tell you…”

Link’s expression softened as he tried to make sense of what Rhett was saying. He took a slow, hesitant step closer to him. “Tell… Tell me what?”

“I wanted to…” No matter how hard he focused, he couldn’t muster the courage to say what he wanted to say. “I…”

Link called his name again, and Rhett couldn’t help but to look back up at him. Their shift in proximity gave him goosebumps. A cold chill seemed to suddenly surround him as it climbed up his spine. “You,” Link breathed, “loved me....” Rhett’s face flushed. No sign of air could come in or out of his agape mouth. Not getting a verbal answer, Link continued, “And you still do… don’t you?”

Rhett’s throat leaked an involuntary squeak as his gaze dropped to the tiles between them once again. A cool touch on his shoulder roused his gaze back up, meeting Link’s widened puppy eyes. His hand laid gently where the feeling emanated, and Rhett couldn’t figure out why it struck him so hard. The soft look in those deep blue eyes distracted that train of thought in a heartbeat.

“I loved you too, Rhett…” Link barely spoke. He leaned in slowly, lips slightly ajar. Rhett could feel that same familiar chill in the small wisp of air between them. The second his eyes closed, a buzzer went off, startling him back into opening his eyes. The chill was gone. The room was now empty.

The door squeaked open, and the assistant from earlier stood in the doorframe. “Sorry, Mr. McLaughlin,” she announced softly. “Your thirty minutes are up.”

Rhett looked around the room in disbelief. “Thirty minutes?” he squeaked. “It felt like it was only five…”

“Illusion’s one crazy science, that’s for sure,” she chimed with a chuckle. Rhett removed his headgear and studied its appearance. That entire experience all came from this skinny little halo of metal? It was certainly a revolutionary device to bring his dear friend back to life… but, he corrected himself, as it technically didn’t really…

It was only an illusion…

He handed the headgear to the assistant with a light smile. “Thank you,” he hummed. “This was an amazing experience.”

The assistant beamed. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

She led Rhett back to the reception area, and the whole way, Rhett could feel a slight chill emanating beside him. The sensation made his smile grow wider. The assistant was glad that he seemed to be leaving The Room as a much happier man than he was when he arrived. He thanked her again for leading him through the experience before heading to the door.

He stopped as he touched the handle.

“Hey, uh…” Rhett began, turning back to the assistant at the desk. “Could I actually… do this again sometime?”

“Absolutely,” she replied with a grin. “Whenever you’re ready to come back, just give us another call and we’ll set you up with another thirty-minute appointment.”

Rhett chuckled through his nose. “Oh, I’ll definitely be back,” he replied. He looked over at where the chilly aura was coming from beside him, and then nodded. “You can count on that.”


End file.
